Abstract #1397

Identification of In Vitro Degenerated Porcine Meniscal Tissue: MTR Contrast Prevents Misinterpretation Due to the Magic Angle Effect

Christina Hopfgarten¹, Stefan Kirsch¹, Gregor Reisig², Michael Kreinest², Lothar R. Schad¹

¹Computer Assisted Clinical Medicine, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany; ²Department for Experimental Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany

Interpretation of MR images of menisci is hampered by the magic angle (MA) effect. The MA effect manifests itself as a strong spatial inhomogeneity in the MR images caused by orientational dependence of the transverse relaxation time T2. Here we demonstrate experimentally that magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) maps show no visible sensitivity to the MA effect. Therefore, MTR maps have the potential to identify tissue degeneration while not being affected by the MA effect. This phenomenon could be useful in in vivo studies of pathological tissue degeneration of human menisci.